


Passion

by AnAngryRat



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 01:36:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12784107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnAngryRat/pseuds/AnAngryRat
Summary: Thor grinned at him. Loki handed him back the card. “No thanks.”“What?”“I’m not interested.” Loki opened the door. Thor stuck out a hand on the door and another on the jam boxing Loki in.“What?”A slow mischievous grin curled over Loki’s lips. Thor’s heart stopped.Loki placed a hand on his chest. “I’ve got better things to do than you. Why don’t you go back to being on the cover of your mother’s romance novel, alright?” Loki winked.





	Passion

Thor got his when he was three and was able to read it as whole when he was six. _Go back to being on the cover of your mother’s romance novel._ It was long and wrapped around his right bicep twice. He would trace it with a finger the lettering perfect and calculated. Thor felt a certain amount of wit that he would never be able to find within the words.

His mother just thought they were hilarious. She was probably right. Odin looked displeased, certain that the person behind the phrase brought only pain. Thor had caught onto the horror stories whispered behind his prone form. Frigga certain and Odin dubious. Thor knew though. He knew, someday someone would say those words in the heat of a moment and Thor would have a soulmate. Thor grinned and continued tracing the letters with care.

 

Loki was born with his. He, by some miracle, lived until he was six and could read the words hidden just behind his ear in a scrawl that fell onto itself with eagerness to get out. _Don’t leave._ Loki stared at the words and then took a look around the desolate living he was born into. No one on this god forsaken earth could stop him from leaving. Loki dropped the hand mirror and climbed down from the vanity. He stopped one foot nearly to the ground. He turned to look over his shoulder listening for his mother’s breathing, his father’s beaten down truck with a misfire. Silence. He opened up the jewelry box clicking in the code he’d seen his mother use often when she needed a booze run. Or drug run. Loki didn’t know what types of drugs and he didn’t care to know. The safe unlocked and he flipped through the bills until he found a five. Loki was eating tonight. He slipped the bill into his sock and then slipped out of the room and the rank apartment. He was partially down the street when the broken truck rumbled down the street. He stared at it his fists clenching.

No one would ever demand a goddamn thing of him.

 

Thor weaved through the heaving crowd to deposit drinks. Jane didn’t move from her position, head laid onto the table looking morosely out into the crowd. Darcy caught his eye partially to the table. She stood up and grabbed a shot and leaned into Thor’s ear.

“I’m going to have fun you deal with her.” She said lips too close. Thor shrugged and continued over depositing the three shots and ale. She slapped his ass and sauntered off leaving her glass on the table. Thor sighed through his nose.

“He stole it. I know he did. Half my equation was in his fucking presentation.” Thor pet her head and sipped his pale ale.

“You exaggerate.” He said. Jane pouted and downed two of the shots.

“He had _half_ my equation. _Half_ , Thor, half.”

Thor frowned. “That’s not—”

“He’s always been such an asshole, too. ‘Oh, Jane I see daddy was good to you this year’” She said in a falsetto. “’Jane, hope your voice isn’t too sore from sucking Selvig’s dick.”

Thor had to stop himself from snorting. That was kind of clever. “I’m sorry that you lost the grant.”

Jane looked at him from under her eyelashes. “How sorry?”

Thor smiled kindly. “Not that sorry.” He wasn’t in the mood. He also hated sympathy fucks. Made him feel dirty and sorry. “You’ll be able to continue your work without it.”

Jane pointed to herself with an empty shot glass. “I will but without the recognition.” She waved an arm out towards the crowd. “Those fucks won’t know me as the scientist who found the equation proving interdimensionality. No, Loki and Bruce get that title.”

“You’ll have time to prove yourself. I believe it.” Thor said confidently. Jane just looked so sad. He gently grabbed her hands and placed them in front of her calmly. “Tonight, you’re going to forget about it so me and Darcy don’t have to listen to you anymore.”

Jane whined but got out of her seat. “Only if you go too.”

Thor drained his drink. “Done.”

They moved out into the throng of people.

 

Loki was celebrating. Bruce already celebrated. Loudly. With his girlfriend. Loki was getting in on that too, though being drunk and relatively high from that brownie an hour ago was close enough. The lights were dim and the music loud with a heavy beat and no lyrics that in literally any other setting would sound like shit. Loki bounced along not thinking. He beat prissy little Jane at her own game and got a grant to study the synapses between quantum particles. Berkley that unreachable gold that Loki had longed for. He had been in LA too long. His short twenty-six years forced him into the horrid little box, but with Berkley came international studies and a _grant_ at Berkley meant that he could conceivably study anywhere he thought might be of use. That was just a stepping stone. Out of California and away. But mostly. Out of LA. Fuck this smogged stuffed and exhausting city.

The thoughts clogged his head then the beat dropped and he was lost in the thrill of grinding bodies. The one in front of him was toned and hard and _delicious._

“You’re that guy that stole the equation from Jane!” He heard shouted into his ear over the music. Loki tensed and jerked back. He gaped furious. He had not _stolen_ Jane’s equation. He just saw the problem with Bruce’s and used hers to fix it. He told the blonde asshole just that.

 

Thor couldn’t hear a word Loki was saying. He could only see the outrage on his face and the snarl on his lips and the…Loki looked up eyes bright and Thor read the words ‘calculus’ and ‘nepotism’ and ‘bitch’. It was hot. Thor knew what his brain was doing. It always did this. It was why him and Jane dated so long despite him knowing she wasn’t his soulmate. Why Sif lingered in his bed. They were all smarter and surer than he ever could be. All of them would break and rant in a fit of pure unadulterated passion every so often and…uhg… That look of devout understanding of their subject, the roll of words that came from the tongue easily with casualness it was just so… The music paused.

“And that is why Jane Foster is a hack.” Loki finished, chest heaving.

Thor leaned down to kiss him. Loki jerked back from the kiss and looked like startled cat. Then his eyes raked up and down Thor’s body and he relaxed.

“Wanna get out of here,” he whispered in Thor’s ear as the music started up again. Thor nodded eagerly taking his hand and following them out.

 

Loki was taking a breather from seating himself on Thor’s cock, adjusting to the fullness. Goddamn the man seemed to be huge everywhere. It was perfect for a victory fuck. He looked up, hands firmly planted on Thor’s chest to catch Thor’s eyes open and his tongue lightly touch his lips.

“How do you know Jane?” Loki asked. He started moving his hips slowly still getting used to the weight of Thor’s cock.

“Ex-girlfriend,” Thor hissed back. Loki rolled his eyes and sped up with frustration.

“Of course, Jane Foster dated you. Of course, she did. She has to be perfect, and daddy has to spoon feed her everything. Things come easy to Jane. That bitch.” Loki was losing his train of thought just so…he scratched a line down Thor’s pecks making him gasp. “She’s never worked a hard day in her life. The first time she loses something it’s all ‘he stole it’ and never taking into account that,” Loki gasped as Thor’s hips twitched up meeting his. It dawns on him through thick fog and wonderfully lucid liquor that he doesn’t talk this much usually…But…. “She’s just,”…He can’t…. “Too slow. She might have had— _ahh_.” Stop. “Reed Richards. But that’s nothing compared to, _there. Again!_ Bruce Banner who created a chemical compound for healing opened wounds quicker by stimulating the—” Loki couldn’t finish. Thor was slamming into him and after he’d found Loki’s prostate he hadn’t stopped and only continued to get more riled.

Loki let out an embarrassing whimper when Thor flipped them and stopped his ministrations. They were quiet a moment as Thor readjusted his hips until he was making Loki gasp again.

Thor threw one of Loki’s legs over his shoulder. “Please continue. About the healing serum,” he said panting. Loki stared at him glass eyed.

“It’s not a healing serum.” Loki corrected. Thor started again much rougher than before. It was a delightful burn and stretch and Loki was lost in it as he recited something Bruce had told him time and time again. “It’s a cell stimulator based upon the chemical reaction to oxidized _blood,_ ” Loki moaned gripping the pillow and continued from there.

 

Thor watched Loki get dressed in the morning flicking his long hair into a pony tail and pulling on his shoes quickly. His face was partially smushed into a pillow but he couldn’t take his eyes off him. Loki was perfect. Thor had never had a fuck that good. Loki lectured through the entire night only pausing when Thor made him forget words and his own name and it was…glorious. He understood virtually nothing about what Loki was talking about but he heard every word. Heard every emphasis and emotion and moan. That _fire_ for what he thought was important.

Loki turned to him with an awkward smile pressed to his lips. Oh, no. “That was a really lovely night, Thor, but I’ve got to get going.” Loki jerked a thumb over his shoulder and started backing out.

Thor shot out of bed. “Wait, wait, wait, let me at least give you my number.”

Loki opened his mouth but Thor was already searching around for one of his business cards. “Here,” Thor said slapping it into his hand.

Loki read it and then looked up at Thor. “Jane Foster dated a kickboxer slash model.”

Thor grinned at him. Loki handed him back the card. “No thanks.”

“What?”

“I’m not interested.” Loki opened the door. Thor stuck out a hand on the door and another on the jam boxing Loki in.

“What?”

A slow mischievous grin curled over Loki’s lips. Thor’s heart stopped.

Loki placed a hand on his chest. “I’ve got better things to do than you. Why don’t you go back to being on the cover of your mother’s romance novel, alright?” Loki winked.

Thor felt his entirety cool like a sharp stinging breeze in the center of autumn spark sting along his back. Loki patted his chest patronizingly and it felt as though he could freeze Thor to the bone and shatter him if necessary. Then he walked away and Thor was still in shock he couldn’t remember to run after him.

 

Bruce watched Loki come through the door his feet in Natasha lap. She’s painting his toenails. Natasha pops her bubble gum.

“Have a nice night?” she asked. Bruce looked up and smiled at him.

“That’s a lot of hickey’s. Might want to cover them stud.” Bruce had a way to sound just like your grandmother at all times. When he was especially matronly Loki couldn’t help but stare at undercut black boots, and black leather jacket sports scholarship Natasha and wonder how the two lasted so long. Natasha caught his eye and shrugged, continuing her work on his toes.

Loki nodded. “Sure thing, grandpa. I’ll also cut my hair and wear normal. Manly things like jeans and Henley’s.”

Natasha snorted and Loki left the living room to plug in his dead phone. He hadn’t showered at Thor’s and was feeling particularly rank. He stripped and got into his en suite bathroom. Everytime he did, he prayed thanks to the universe that him and Bruce moved in before he met Nat. There was no way in hell that she’d let Loki have it if they had met beforehand. He sighed under the hot water and smiled at the shocked expression on Thor’s face. In the span of two weeks he got to scorn Jane Foster like the petty monster he was. It was a delight.

Loki got out and checked his phone. He had three missed calls from Professor Strange. He slid his finger to call back waiting on the tone.

“I need you to fill in for the 10:45 class can you make it?” Loki looked at the clock on his computer. 10:25. It took twenty minutes to get to campus.

“Yeah, I can do that for you.”

Strange let out a breath. “It was either you or Foster but she wasn’t answering her phone either.”

Loki grinned quickly pulling on skinny jeans and a shirt. “I would never leave you hanging, sir.”

“Bye.” Strange hung up abruptly. Loki rolled his eyes and stuffed the phone into his back pocket. Strange was a dick but at least he didn’t beat around the bush. Loki grabbed a jacket and was off waving bye to the couple on the couch Natasha halfway on top of Bruce already.

“Stay warm!” Bruce called out after him. Loki closed the door and started down their stairway. The man always sounded like a grandmother. Always.

 

Thor was forced from his position leaning his head against where the door meets the doorjamb and banging it repeatedly by Jane opening his door and shoving him out of the way.

“Get dressed, I need your motorcycle.” Jane said already turning towards his dresser and throwing clothes at him. Thor couldn’t even find a reason to object. His head was still stuck on _soulmate._ The scientist with the bright green eyes and black hair that had a tendency to rant. What could Thor pull out of him if he had more than one night? Thor shivered against that phantom chill that had stuck with him since Loki said the words.

“Why do you need my bike, you have your own car?” He asked pulling on the clothes she had been throwing at him.

“We need to beat Loki to Professor Strange’s lecture. I tried calling him back but I think Loki got to him first that wily bastard.” Jane explained holding her chin before grabbing a certain jacket and a pair of shoes.

Thor had zero arguments. A chance to see Loki again that was all he needed. He would put on the charm, see if he could work him into a frenzy again. It’ll go great.

“Let’s go. We can’t let the fucker win again.” Jane said grabbing him half put together, and dragging through the door.

Thor stumbled after her zipping up his boots and fixing his pants. “Why do we hate him?”

Thor knew why Loki hated Jane Foster. Never just Jane. He had been very clear last night. Loki was from east LA and had been stuck there for a majority of his life and had to climb his way to where he was. He had terrible luck all around. Got a partial scholarship, couldn’t afford the second half. Got a loan, had to get a full-time job because the loan demanded money _before_ he graduated. Jane on the other hand, had family in academics. She had a silver spoon in her mouth, full scholarship, best lab equipment. The books were part of her scholarship so she didn’t have to pay for that either. She also, according to Loki, had the dumbest most egregious sports car he’d ever seen. Thor could kind of see it. Jane appeared to not have had to work as hard as Loki to make it to the academic world then when he finally accomplishes something before her, she tells the world he stole it.

“He’s always been hostile, and annoying. He purposefully antagonizes me when I’ve been nothing but nice.” She gritted out. “I’m so done with his bullshit. You have no idea.”

That makes sense. Thor grabbed his helmets handing one to Jane and taking his own. This wasn’t the first time she demanded that he drive her to school on his motorcycle, sure that it was faster than her own car.

At a stoplight Thor turned to her. “How’s the hangover?”

Jane raised a finger to Thor’s vision, he laughed.

 

Loki stumbled in through the doors of the massive hall filled with undergrads. Most of whom did not actually want to learn about physics.

“Good morning,” he announced with a smile walking over to Strange’s desk. “We’re pretty close to finals so I assume that today is a review day. Am I correct?”

A girl with dark red make up and a thick Slavic accent answered. “Yes.”

“Thanks, Wanda.” Loki responded. He’d have to talk to Strange and see if he’d mentor her. Loki sense great potential behind a steel wall in that one.

He hid behind the desk looking through the drawers for the Powerpoint hard drive Strange always kept just in case.

The doors opened to some late comers Loki assumed.

“Find a seat it’ll be just a moment,” he told them standing up with the hard drive victoriously.

Jane stood at the entrance jaw dropped. Thor lingered behind her and smiled blindingly at Loki. Loki stood up slowly and took in the situation. He was victorious, he put the hardrive into the computer and clicked on the week fifteen presentation. It was a quiz game. The opportunity was there and Loki saw it in dazzling lights, he could kick Jane Foster when she was already down. Would he?

“Get into groups of…” he announced counting down the students. “Seven. You have fifteen minutes.”

The class broke out into noise and Loki sauntered up to Jane and Thor. “I see you got Strange’s calls.”

“Five minutes late apparently.” Jane snapped. Loki nodded looking up and catching Thor’s eye. He smiled ear to ear. Thor’s face went through the beautiful transition of confusion to dawning horror.

“I had an early morning wake-up call. From a tall blond. Beautiful slim waist.” Loki bit his lip to hide his smile. “But I assume you would know what that’s like.”

Jane’s jaw dropped and the righteous fury she turned on Thor was enough for Loki to take pity on the man. He didn’t ask to be part of his and Jane’s pissing contest.

“I forgot to give him my number, let me remedy this.” Loki stuffed his hand into a pocket and flicked his hair over his shoulder knowing it would show off the hickey. He pulled out a pen and grabbed Thor’s hand and wrote out his number in his precise way. _Slurred words mean weakness, Loki._ He shook the memory of an overwhelming hovering presence and capped the pen. He curled Thor’s hand and tucked it into Thor’s chest.

“Can’t wait to see you later,” Loki said and was mildly surprised by the underlying sincerity.

“Yeah,” Thor said looking at his hand with a small smile. “Me neither.”

Jane made a small squeaking noise and dragged Thor away. Loki laughed and waved them away. He returned to the podium and looked over the questions written on a word doc that he hid from the screen transfer. He had a class to teach anyway.

 

Jane cornered Thor after feeding him coffee. Smart of her. Thor would have never thought of it. That’s why she lasted longer than all his other girlfriends. She was sneaky and slightly underhanded. There’s a brilliance in that that Thor will never be able to grasp.

“What the fuck?” It wasn’t a question it was an order.

“He’s very dedicated to his work.” Thor told her.

“You intentionally slept with my rival?” Jane sounded sad and disappointed. Thor almost felt guilty except for the whole soulmate thing.

Thor leaned over the table and gently cupped her hands. “I’m sure you’ll forgive me for pursuing this someday. Just not today.”

Jane snatched her hands back and cold fury washed over her. “Pursue?”

“I already sent him three messages while you were ordering drinks.”

“His class isn’t even out yet!”

Thor stared at his cup. “I knew that.”

Jane put her head in her hands and pushed her hair back. “Okay. Okay. Why are you pursuing the pettiest person I have ever met in my entire life?”

Thor tapped his arm where his soulmate’s words resided.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Jane sat looking through the table. “Only Loki would say something that dickish and sound even remotely charming.”

“He’s also fantastic in bed.” Thor sighed.

Jane rubbed her face and observed Thor before sighing resigned. “What are you going to do about it?”

“I got his number.”

Thor saw pity build in Jane’s very air and had a feeling that just having Loki’s number wasn’t going to be enough. He shrugged. It was his soulmate after all.

 

Loki wrinkled his nose and tossed his phone to Clint who caught it without looking up from his own conversation. Loki waved his hand to get his attention but Clint ignored him until he was done typing then turned his attention to Loki’s phone. Clint wrinkled his nose.

 _Jane’s guy?_ He signed. He didn’t have his hearing aid because of baseball practice earlier that day.

 _Yeah. He won’t stop._ Loki responded.

“Text back,” Clint said aloud so he could throw Loki’s phone back. It hit him square in the sternum. Perfect pitcher aiming even when not on the field. Loki coughed rubbing his chest.

“I’m not sure.”

 _Why?_ Clint’s phone buzzed and he held up a finger so he could type his response back before turning to look at Loki.

_Clingy._

Clint tilted his head to the side like he was considering it from Loki’s perspective.

            _How hot is he?_

            Loki pulled up a picture from Thor’s snapchat. It was him with a filter staring at the camera bemused before turning to talk to a girl with the bust about to break her poor bra. She burst out laughing. The image looped. Loki held the phone out. Clint’s jaw dropped.

            _Fuck him hard._ Clint signed. Thor became such an important topic that Clint even ignored the next text from Professor Coulson. It was an open secret that the two were in an out of each other’s bed. Not that Loki could judge. He needed that ‘A’ in English Lit and a little swooning and a well-placed smile and touch got him it.

            _You’re leaving soon anyway. Get all the D you want out of him. No strings attached._ Clint paused. _Not for you._

            Loki rolled the thought around. Thor was large. And long. And had a ridiculous amount of stamina. Nice to look at…

            Loki opened up the string of texts that had been sent over the last week and propositioned Thor with a movie and some pizza. At Thor’s place. His was unsafe from those who didn’t wish to see Bruce pampered.

            “Best decision.” Clint said startling Loki from Thor’s enthusiastic response. He was standing right next to his shoulder. Loki flinches and clenched his fist in an effort to not punch Clint in the face.

            “Thanks.”

 

            Thor watched Loki with a soft smile on his face. The movie played on and Loki’s fingers were twitching next to him. Thor couldn’t stop the word _soulmate_ repeating over and over again in his head. His grin might have gotten larger.

            Loki puffed out a blast of air before turning his head sharply at Thor. “I hate this movie can we fuck now?”

            Thor flushed. “I—”

            Loki very seriously pulled off his shirt and flipped over so he sat in Thor’s lap facing him. Thor’s hands automatically went to his hips.

            “I don’t even know why I chose that movie. I know I hate it. Eli Roth has never made a good movie ever in his entire career and never will.”

            Thor pulled off his own shirt, “They are all rather unlikeable.”

            Loki ground down and Thor’s hands moved from his waist to his ass. Thor licked a stripe up his chest wondering why there was a bruise directly between his dusty pink nipples.

            “It’s part of his directing style. If you’ve ever seen him in an interview Roth talks just like the dark-haired piece of…” Loki gasped. “That is to say the least that the directing is awful and the editing is incomprehensible. It’s also…” Thor dipped his hand down the front of Loki’s pants. Loki lost words for a few strokes before he claimed them again when Thor slowed down and allowed him to think. “Anyway, watch _Murder Party_. It’ll remind you of Jane fucking Foster. It’s also a better representation of all characters being assholes…”

            Loki had built a rhythm and was grinding down against Thor with ease but he stopped to look at Thor. Thor looked at him in awe. How could someone be so knowledgeable about so many things?

            “Never mind about _Murder Party_. Terrible movie. Don’t watch it.” Thor was going to watch it. He told Loki so. Loki didn’t respond and instead made wonderful noises. Thor reveled in foreplay before he got Loki naked and underneath him.

            “Why shouldn’t I watch that movie?” Thor forgot the name. It didn’t matter. He just wanted Loki talking again, he wanted him frenzied and desperate to make a point even while Thor tried to override his senses. He wanted Loki to succeed.

            Loki put a hand on his chest and locked his elbow. He twitched his head to the side like a bird and his eyes roamed over Thor. They narrowed in contemplation before he shrugged.

            “You’re just like the main character and I feel that level of naivete should be maintained in human form.”

            Thor’s entire body heated for the first time in a week and a half since Loki said those twelve words. He sighed at the relief. “I have no idea what that means.”

            Loki hooked a hand behind his neck dragging him into a messy beautiful kiss. Thor uncoordinated reached out for the condoms and lube.

            “I know,” Loki said breathlessly, “and it gets your gears running like an old fart an hour after the Viagra kicks in.”

            Thor searched harder. “What’s your major again?” Loki was kissing his way down Thor and _god._

            “I’ll tell you after I’ve had some fun. I can’t tailor myself to your kinks without enjoying some of my own.”

            “I hope that means I get a blow job,” Thor asked coming up with the lube and condoms victoriously.

            Loki didn’t answer, he just licked a long stripe up Thor’s cock.

            “Oh, good.” Thor gasped dropping the plastic necessities on the bed so he can lean on his elbow and tangle his fingers in Loki’s hair.

 

            “So…” Thor juxtaposed awkwardly. Loki had been expecting this. He saw it coming a mile away. He had been fucking and leaving with little to no post coital conversation besides, you’re leaving, and yes. Tonight, had been different. Thor had been different. Loki couldn’t get a word in edgewise Thor had been the most concentrated, Loki had ever seen him. It left Loki a puddle of goo laying on his chest and wondering when it got dark and if he could even walk in the near future.

            Loki tried his damnedest to think of a way to sway Thor away from the conversation but he was just too tired. “So…” he repeated blinking to keep away the sleep heavy daze.

            “You ever notice my soulmark?” Thor said gently rubbing Loki’s shoulder. Loki leaned into the touch.

            “Yes. It is quite ostentatious.” Loki answered remembering the crisp lines that wrapped twice around Thor’s large arms.

            “You ever read it?”

            “No. I don’t see the point. I’m leaving by the end of the fall semester to study at Berkley under the Stark Grant. What does it matter that you have a soulmate?” Loki told him. Thor froze underneath him and Loki felt almost guilty for dropping it all on the guy in one go. Thor was clearly more invested in their relationship than he was. This was letting him go easy. It was inevitable let it be fun while it last.

            “Oh.” It was the most pitiful sound Loki had ever heard. He pushed himself up on to his elbows so he could face Thor. The other man wasn’t looking at him lips pinched tight arms enclosing around Loki’s waist. Loki licked his lips thinking.

            “I never did ask you how you became a kickboxing model.” Loki gave him. Thor looked out the window chest rumbling in quiet laughter. He turned to look at Loki taking the bait.

            “I had a couple of ex’s very invested in comics and anime. I got roped into cosplaying with them because I can’t say no when they start describing a character’s history and well…” he leaned over and grabbed his phone. “You show up to enough conventions looking _exactly_ like a character you get noticed. It grew from there I guess.”

            He held out his phone and Loki looked over the photos. Most of them were recent from a couple of clothing magazines and one underwear add. Then he reached the ones from summer conventions and there’s Thor as Green Arrow, Ganon, Iron Bull… the list goes on.

            “Wow. Your makeup makes you unrecognizable.” Loki commented returning the phone.

            Thor smiled. “Darcy does that now. Though I still talk to Sif who was the first one to convince to dress.”

            Loki hummed. “Kickboxing?”

            Thor shrugged. “Something I’ve always done and got really good at. My matches are televised.”

            “Oh. Is it off season?”

            There was a rumbled laugh and Loki shook gently above it. “Yes.”

            “I’m not a—”

            “I figured that out pretty easily, believe it or not.”

            Loki smirked hiding his face in Thor’s chest. “I’m sure.”

            They sat in a comfortable silence before Loki heard a great earth-shattering sigh from above him.

            “Do you have a soulmark?”

            Loki thought so long about answering that when he did he felt Thor startle. “Yes. But I doubt a soulmate.”

            Thor’s brows drew in. “What do you mean?”

            Loki pulled himself up to look down his nose at Thor. “My soulmark is a demand, and I Loki Laufayson am not a man who will bow down to anyone.”

            Thor’s eyes softened with something that set dread deep in the pit of Loki’s belly.

            “I know.”

 

            Thor did his best not to touch his oiled chest and cover himself against the insistent chill that had yet to go away. He was just left twitching in half aborted gestures while the lighting guys set up the work area.

            “You okay?” Steve asked watching him and shifting in sympathy discomfort.

            “It’s really cold.”

            “It’s seventy-five.” Bucky answered from the other side of Steve. He was reading from his phone. Sam took interest and leaned over him to join in.

            “I’m actually a little hot.”

            “Me too.” Admitted Steve.

            It took ten seconds of staring at the other models’ faces before Thor broke. They were all sincere, with the exception of Bucky, and curious. His will was also easy to break because he just wanted a fucking jacket for fucksake.

            “It’s the soulmark,” Thor admitted.

            Bucky and Sam immediately lost interest. Neither of them had soulmates but they had each other and had learned to just not get into conversations about such things. Steve on the other hand patted his arm in sympathy.

            “Don’t worry, Tony took a while too.”

            Thor grimaced. “He doesn’t really like me all that much and…”

            Steve looked down considering. He turned to his left. “Were about to have a soulmate heart to heart could you…”

            Bucky looked between his childhood friend and Thor then got off his stool and walked away grabbing Sam by the hand and dragging him away. Sam was a little less kind and flipped them off. Steve watched them go unamused.

            “Only Bucky knows this,” Steve told Thor once the other two were out of range. Thor scooted closer careful of the makeup covering his mark and the oil. And his hair. He didn’t like being a model much. Beating the shit out of people in a padded cage was marginally easier.

            “Tony knew I was his soulmate the first time we met.” Steve confided drawing in a breath for strength. “I was thirteen. He was thirty-three. It took me ten years to track his ass down after he had a mental breakdown over the fact, to explain that I knew he was my soulmate too. During those fifteen years,” Steve said carefully, “I exhibited behaviors of withdrawal, alcohol to be precise, pretty constantly.”

            Thor knew where this was heading. He could see the clear line between Steve’s tale and his own shivers.

            “I’m not saying it’s happening to you, but…”

            “It’s just cold.”

            “We live in LA.”

            “I can handle it.”

            “Until you have inexplicable hypothermia and end up in a hospital.”

            Thor tapped his foot. “Not yet.”

            Steve whistled. “Well…”

            The photographer gestured for them to come. “I’ve got two weeks. I’ll figure it out.”

            Steve looked at him with that sad direct gaze. “I hope so.”

 

 

            Loki sat in front of Clint and placed his hands together very professionally. Clint popped his bubble gum and set down his phone.

            “It seems,” Loki started bringing his fingers under his chin. “That I have made a grievous error in following your advice with Thor.”

            Clint chewed his gum.

            Loki put his fingertips on the table and then spread them out until his palms touched the table. They waited on each other. Loki didn’t know why Clint had to do this the winner was always clear.

            “What happened?” Clint asked breaking.

            “In a completely unexpected curveball, I appear to be Thor’s soulmate.”

            Clint’s gum fell out of his mouth. “What? How do you know?”

            Loki leaned forward and hissed, “You don’t think I wouldn’t recognize my own handiwork.”

            “Gods, the poor guys soulmark must be _long_.”

            Loki nodded. “It wraps around his arm twice.”

            Clint played with the gum between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t see how this is a problem.”

            “I don’t think he’s completed it. I don’t know if he will.” Loki explained. “I doubt Thor would ever demand that out of me.”

            “Oh.”

            “What do I do?”

            Clint shrugged. “Make sure he doesn’t die I guess.”

            Loki groaned running a hand through his hair. “It’s not my responsibility.”

            “Keep him happy until he does die when you leave.”

            Loki scoffed. “He won’t die.”

            Clint slammed a hand on the table forcing Loki’s eyes to travel up his arm.

            “And I’m not partially deaf because you stole my project and made me take Psych 101 with a different professor.”

            “Your attachment to Coulson is not my fault. Failing that class was definitely my fault.”

            Clint threw his hands out. “That’s not the point. You leaving Thor means he will be permanently harmed. _I_ would know because look at me and what happens when a soulbond is rejected.”

            Loki sat back suitably cowed. “I came to you because I already have a lease on an apartment. I’m there with him or without.”

            “It might kill you too.”

            Loki purposefully pulled up the sleeves of his sweater to show off the broken scars of days past. “I can handle it.”

            “You can. _He_ probably can’t.” Natasha said from behind Clint.

            They shared a look and Loki got the true gist of what she meant. Bruce’s brother never lasted long after their soulbond broke. He stood up. Then left without another word.

 

            “Mother.”

            Frigga looked up from her book catching Thor wearing a coat he only wore when he went up to the mountains in her perfectly warm house. She placed a bookmark and set the book down. Thor glanced at the cover where a blond man with long hair, heavily muscled held onto a waifish looking woman with black hair. He looked at himself in the mirror. Then Frigga coughed.

            “Thor. It’s been a while.”

            Thor sat down across from her on the afghan covered couch. He didn’t take off his jacket.

            “I’ve been busy.”

            Frigga steeple’d her fingers. “Is this visit about why you’ve been so busy?”

            Thor’s teeth were chattering. He clenched his jaw to stop them. “I need some advice.”

            Frigga waited.

            “I’ve met my soulmate and he’s going to leave and I don’t think I can stop him.”

            “Ah.”

            “He is quite witty. You would like him.”

            Frigga uncrossed her legs and leaned over. “Tell me more about him.”

            “He’s getting his first PHD and third bachelor’s in something I can’t name. He loves all aspects of study especially science with a fondness for film and theater. After that it’s literature. He’s leaving because he got the Stark Grant, I don’t know what that is or why it’s important, Jane and him go on and on about it. He’s leaving because he hate’s LA and I’m not going to stop him.” He had to stop because he needed to warm up his fingers.

            Frigga licked her lips and scooted closer to him. She took his hands in hers and patted them.

            “Thor, honey, I love you and you’re a very nice boy but I’m about to give you some very underhanded advice.”

            Thor nodded through a very severe shiver.

            “You should know what the Stark Grant is because Steve and his husband have been here several times and Tony has talked about the funding of such a grant.”

            Thor’s eyebrows reached his hairline and his mouth parted in a soft ‘o’. “I ask Tony to rescind the grant?”

            Frigga smiled patting his hands again. “No. I’m going to give you very specific instructions it would be best you write them down, dear. I know how your memory is.”

            “Thank you, mother.”

            Frigga kissed his forehead standing up. “I’ll make some hot chocolate while we’re at it.”

 

            Loki stared at the bleak nothingness that was the school library. He’d finish everything he needed for his degree and graduating last month when he was finishing his thesis for the Stark Grant. There was no need for him to be here. But here he was. It was his wallowing place. The place with which he wallows. His phone rang. He opened it up blindly and turned on speaker not caring for his fellow students. They all slighted him at one point he’s sure.

            “Loki, come to the science department. Tony Stark would like a word with you.” Loki snapped out of his reverie at Strange’s demand. He heard bitching from the background. “Soon.” Strange enunciated before hanging up.

            It was a scramble to pick up his things. Loki tripped over himself trying to put on his jacket and bag at the same time. He nearly fell down two flights of stairs but somehow made it to the ground floor before sprinting the half mile across campus towards the sciences. He skidded down the hallway on one foot before reaching Strange’s office. He opened the door panting and a hand on his hip. He faked a smile and waved at the two bearded men looking at him strangely.

            “Hi.” He gasped.

            Tony Stark eyed him up and down before throwing a thumb over at Strange. “Did you know this fuck prefers Reed Richards over you?”

            “That’s my cue to leave.” Strange brushed past Loki’s scandalized gape before he could even form words for that.

            Tony stuffed his hands into his suit’s pockets. “Hey.”

            “Reed Richards?”

            “It confused me too.”

            Loki scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. “Now that my soul has been crushed, what can I do for you Stark?”

            Stark was quiet. Loki couldn’t get anything from behind his glasses. “You don’t like me, do you?” Stark asked.

            Loki scowled. “I have my bias against those who wealth has carried them to where they are. Though you differ slightly in that I do love dissecting the things you make. They impress me despite your upbringing.”

            “Honest.”

            Loki leaned against the door and crossed his arms.

            “Callous, some might say.”

            Tony nodded in acknowledgement. “You still wondering why I asked for you?”

            “Obviously.”

            Tony smirked. “I need someone to work under me. I’m trying my hand at self-renewing energy and a fully functioning AI. I need someone to bounce ideas off of.” He picked up one of Strange’s crystal balls then dropped it. “Oops.”

            Loki laughed. He kicked one of the shards away to step closer to Tony. “You want me?”

            “Interdimensionality was something I had been working on for awhile. You figured it out in six months and I’ve gone through your transcripts. Someone interested in everything is what I’m looking for.”

            “So, New York?”

            Tony lolled his head towards Loki. “Yes. All expenses paid, of course. The Stark Grant should cover you at NYU if you want to continue your studies.”

            “Sounds too good to be true.”

            Stark laughed and patted Loki on the shoulder. “That’s because it is, what do you say?”

            Loki looked at Stark. He’d be tied to him for a while at least…but stepping stones. Never forever. He’d also be farther away from LA.

            “Offer accepted.”

            Tony smiled and slipped a card into his pocket. “That’s my contact information. Pepper will inform you when to show up at LAX in the next week.”

            Tony walked off while Loki pulled out to look at the card. “See you soon.” He offered as goodbye. The business card was flashy and to the point with Stark’s personal number written on the back. Loki might hate him for sentimental reasons but he did appreciate the dramatics. He was suitably wooed. Now he just had to tell Thor.

 

            The apartment was a mess. Thor knew he needed to clean but he couldn’t bring himself outside of his piles of blankets to do so. Loki had called only minutes after Tony had given him the thumbs up and several emoji’s expressing his displeasure at having Loki working with him. It’ll be fine. He, his mother, had this planned to a ‘T’. Loki would fall for it. And him. Because Thor liked him and would give him everything. Hopefully not his life but… There was a knock at the door. Thor struggled out of his blanket cocoon and threw several items on the floor to random places ignoring all the crashes and clacks. He wasn’t going to be living here much longer anyway.

            He opened the door and Loki brushed right by him. Thor shut it turning around to address him before a fierce shiver ran up his spine and he was curling his arms around himself and hoping for warmth. Loki stopped mouth open and then shut it before coming over to gently rub up and down Thor’s open arms.

            “Are you well?” He asked concern lacing his voice despite how he was clearly trying to hide it.

            A small infinitesimal amount of warmth soaked through and Thor was able to relax just a fraction. “Yeah.”

            Loki stepped back and the chill set in again. “This is about the soulmark isn’t it.”

            Thor sighed. A perfect opening. Four weeks of fucking and attempting to find an opening that isn’t uncomfortable or forced. “Yes. I’m going back to New York soon. I want you to know that I’ll follow you anyway.” Thor walks up to him and gently cupped Loki’s face. “So just…Just don’t leave without me. Okay?”

 

            Loki felt warm. Uncontrollably so. Like the sun in summer. Hot but not humid. He struggled against undressing under Thor’s confession. It was too much.

            “Whatever you want.” Loki said not even thinking. He was undressing. Fuck. He was not doing that…there went his pants. “You’re coming with me to New York, so just…” He pushed Thor’s shirt up and couldn’t hold back the delightful shudder as his fingers met heated skin. “Get naked.”

            “Does this mean—” Thor didn’t finish because Loki was devouring his mouth and shoving him backwards.

            “You’re my soulmate or whatever. I don’t want to talk about it.” Loki growled against his mouth. He moved down shoving Thor’s sweat pants around his ankles and flipped him. He barely had the sense of mind to grab condoms and lube. It was a haze Thor was grunting under him and rutting against the bed. Loki pulled his hips back and gripped his hair before he slid in and the softest breath of ice trickled down his spine. Thor whined at his inactivity and the ice was vaporized and Loki was consumed. He angled Thor’s head to the side so he could bite and suck onto his neck hips moving jarringly. A stray thought told him to possibly try and stroke Thor’s cock but then the man was clenching around him and coming on a low moan. Loki followed with his own animalistic moan muffled by his teeth on Thor’s tendons.

            He fell on top of Thor the both of them collapsing in a sweating mess. Loki panted unable to really wrap his head around what just happened. That amount of instinctual claiming was not Loki. It felt like something Thor….

            “Fuck…” Loki gasped. Thor wiggled and Loki slipped out and fell onto his back. “Fuck.” He said again. It encompassed all and nothing.

            “So we go to New York together?” Thor asked after a solid minute of silence. Loki as almost startled. He was still wrapping his head around being so out of control.

            “What?”

            “Tony met with you and offered the internship, right? The place he was planning to house you is my penthouse because I asked nicely.”

            “That’s very…” Loki had to swallow the bile before he could say it, “Intelligent of you. But I have to…” Scream. Run. Rage. Throw something. “Leave.” Loki sat up.

            “What?”  Thor pushed himself up onto his elbows. He looked like a dream. Perfect waist to hip ratio, hair a tangled mess from Loki using it as reins while he rode him. Loki was going to leave it because…

            “No one likes me.” Loki said with so much truth he couldn’t look away. He turned and started to pull on his pants. “No one like’s me. I’m not good enough on my own merit to have Tony Stark look at my transcripts. Dr. Strange only liked me on my knees and so does the head of Sciences. You only like me because you think we’re soulmates.” Loki has zipped up his jacket. “I’ve gotta go. Don’t call.”

            Thor tugged on his wrist. Loki didn’t turn. “Stark was already looking at you, I just said you could live at my place.”

            “My name isn’t even Loki Laufeyson. It’s Loki Ikol because after eight years I still find it hilarious that it’s the same backwards and forwards.” Loki told him “The scars on my arm are cigarette burns.” Loki drew a lone from behind his ear bisecting his soulmark in half and down to the tip of his chin. “This is surgery from when my father broke my jaw after I told him I changed my name to Loki Ikol.”

            Thor gripped his wrists. “Do you really think that changes anything?”

            Loki shoved the heels of his hands into his eye sockets Thor’s arms obliging moving with him. “Well, yeah. I’m a petty, street rat asshole, who named himself, and has a passport and two grand held at all times in case of emergency. You’re a little bit larger than life Thor.”

            Loki felt Thor’s body come in closer and wrap him up in a warm hug. “Did you know that I work at fucking Panera? I haven’t slept in three days because I work as a caterer and do night classes and when I’m not sucking cock I’m grading papers. I finished all my finals weeks ago while I was working on the theories for the equation.”

            Thor rubbed his back and placed his head on top of Loki’s. He had never felt more pathetic in his life. “Now, I’ve just learned that I can’t get a job until fucking lightning strikes and I have a soulmate who happens to be the world’s nicest person.”

            “I’m a little bit of an asshole.” Thor rumbled. His chest felt nice.

            “I was the one who dyed Jane’s hair pink and green.”

            “I’m not that much of an asshole.”

            Loki sighed. He couldn’t pull away. Thor was so warm and he, usually, was so cold.

            “I don’t deserve you.”

            Thor gently guided him to the bed. “I don’t believe that.”

            Loki fell with him still fully clothed allowing himself to be tucked into Thor’s body.

            “The gods were extraordinarily cruel to you.”

            “I don’t believe that either.” Thor responded just as kindly.

            “You’re super nice. Super dumb. And probably the most pansexual person I have ever met. Most “pansexual”s are hipsters that ask you to suck dick before pushing away to go fuck their girlfriends.”

            “You’re an intelligent, driven man, who tries to and will continue to learn all that has been created. I love your passion and when you speak I can’t think for it feels like you’re spinning wheat into gold.”

            Loki laughed wetly. “Most people call that silver tongued, and a lie smith.”

            Thor shrugged. “What does it matter what they call it. It’s still beautiful and I still crave to see you fall into that frenzy over and over again.”

            “Fool.”

            “There is no doubt.”

            Loki sniffed and wiggled deeper into Thor’s chest. Thor continued rubbing his back and Loki did his best not to think of how absurd it was that half naked Thor was cradling poor pathetic ratty Loki.

            “Will you go to New York, or will I follow you to Berkley?”

            Loki pulled up to make eye contact. “You’d do that?” he whispered.

            “Of course.” Thor answered just as softly. He smiled the corners of his eyes crinkling.

“You really are too good for me.” Loki said. Thor cupped his cheek and his thumb caressed his cheekbone. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“I can wait.” Thor answered easily. Loki set an alarm for four on his phone then returned to the soft comfort of Thor’s bosom.

“Thank you.”

“Always.” Thor kissed his forehead. Wherever he went Thor would follow. It was so safe a reality that he relaxed into the embrace. Loki couldn’t stop sleep from taking him.

**Author's Note:**

> Soulmates explained:  
> 1.)Important turn point words in the other's handwriting  
> 2.) Trade of pain (Either psychological or physical) if the soulmate bond is ignored/rejected
> 
> I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
